With the State Basketball Championships moving this season from Springfield to Columbia for the next two weeks, Chadwick’s boys were glad to make hotel reservations.
Forward Clayton Garrison feels making the trip to Columbia for several days, rather than bussing back and forth to Springfield, will make the Final Four more special.
“I'm excited. I like us traveling,” Garrison said. "If we were playing in Springfield, we'd just come back home (after each game). Going up to Columbia, we can hang out in the hotel.”
Chadwick (26-3) meets Green City (27-2) in a 10 a.m. semifinal Friday at Mizzou Arena.
“It will be like something I've never played in before, a place that big. It will be crazy,” guard Grady Preston said of taking the floor at the home of the Mizzou Tigers.
For Cardinals coach Shawn Guerin, a 10 a.m. opening tip will be more like the beginning of the afternoon. While also serving as the Lady Cardinals’ coach, Guerin’s workload obviously has doubled the past two winters, making for long nights and early mornings.
The Cardinals appreciate the film study Guerin puts in.
“He doesn't sleep much. He wakes up about 4 a.m. every day, drinks some coffee and watches film,” Garrison said.
“I know it's got to be as stressful as can be for him,” guard Tristian Smith said. “During the regular-season, he would have four games a week and would watch game film for both teams. He'll come into practice and it looks like he's had no sleep at all because he's been up all night watching game film. He always has us prepared for what's coming. He's going to be watching film on Green City all week.”
This will be Chadwick’s first Final Four appearance since 2009.
Chadwick and Green City will be joined at State by Braymer and Dadeville.
In the final regular-season Class 1 Poll released by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, Chadwick was ranked No. 4, Green City No. 6 and Dadeville No. 9. Braymer was not ranked.
Green City is led by junior guard Xander Salas. He had 37 points in the Gophers' Quarterfinal win against Prairie Home.
After Friday’s semifinals, the Class 1 third-place game will be at 10 a.m. Saturday and the championship game at 4 p.m.
Chadwick has already captured a state championship this school year, with the Lady Cardinals’ cross country team winning a Class 1 title in the fall.
